Composite structures, such as composite laminate structures, are used in a variety of industries. For example, the aircraft industry uses composite laminate structures for aircraft body panels, blades, and other elements. Composite laminate structures can experience structural defects in the form of delamination, voids, impact damage, marcels, ply wrinkles, and other defects during a lifetime of the composite laminate structure. A sample of a composite laminate structure can be tested to approximate shear characteristics of the composite laminate structure.